A frank discussion about Balewind Vortex, and what "range" means

[amysrevenge]

Hi friends!

Can we chat about how a Balewind Vortex (BV) works, and what is meant by "range"?

For clarity, the relevant wording on the BV is thus:  "...you can add 6" to the range of any spells that the Wizard casts."  There is no further description or clarification on the warscroll.

I tried to look up the FAQs and commentaries for guidance, but a) I can't really decide which FAQ/commentary it would even be in, and b) any that I can think of to try are currently undownloadable (at least by me).

Is there a reference anywhere regarding which of the various distances included in various spells count as "range" and which don't?  I've got some examples, and I'll inject my own commentary into them to what I consider ranges and what I don't.

 

1) "...pick a terrain feature wholly within 24" of the caster tha is visible to them.  Each enemy unit within 3" of that terrain feature suffers..."

I would consider the 24" to be a range, and the 3" to be an effect and not be increased by the BV.

2) "...pick an enemy MONSTER... within 18" of the caster....  It immediately moves 3" towards the closest model.  You can then pick a unit within 1" of that MONSTER..."

I would consider 18" to be a range, and 3" and 1" to be effects and not be increased by the BV.

3) "...summon a unit... and add it to your army.  The summoned unit must be set up more than 9" from any enemy units, and wholly on or within a Sylvaneth Wyldwood that is within 12" of the caster."

I would consider the 12" to be a range, and the 9" to be an effect and not be increased by the BV (haha imagine the BV making you summon 15" away rather than 9" away lol)

4) "...pick an enemy unit within 18" of the caster.... add new Tzaangor models to existing unit... Each new Tzaangor model must be set up wholly within 12" of the caster and within 1" of the unit they are being added to."

I would consider the 18" to be a range, and the 12" and 1" to be effects and not be increased by the BV.  But I could understand someone trying to argue that the 12" is also a range, and it's not 100% clear to me.

 

Am I mostly on target here, or am I out to lunch?  Are there other types of measurements that make the BV even more difficult to understand?  I really wish there was a clearly defined "range" for spells out there somewhere.

 

Full disclosure:  I suspect that I am being taken advantage of by one of my regular opponents who, through no ill-will, and at the urging of various army-specific Facebook groups he belongs to, might be stretching the definition of what counts as a "range".  I want to be able to have a reasonable discussion with him about it, but I have come to realize that I have no sources to start from.  Hence this post.

[Platypus]

I would rule all of those as you have. I think your opponent is mistaken about what a range is.

[Ratus-Ratus]

I will agree entirely with Platypus. I too think your opponent is being directed, and thus leading yourself, down the garden path... Albeit innocently. 

    There is a case to be made that what exactly the definition of certain clarifying words like, “range” refer to. In your case, range obviously refers to the initial, and most prominent,   casting distance - and even reading that back to myself, it’s obvious to me that some people will inevitably get confused. 

 

[Lord Veshnakar]

Yeah I am with you on this one wholeheartedly. It feels like reaching (I'll see myself out 😂) to be extending the secondary effect like that.  I would say at this point to submit it to GW's FAQ team and wait it out rather than potentially starting a disagreement that could cost you friendship points on this one though. Having opponents that enjoy the game (even if a little painfully gamey at times), is a valuable commodity, at least where I live. 

[Dreadmund]

@Isotop just posted this in response to my own question about the balewind, and I think its helpful here too. 

 

[Mayple]

You're on point Secondary effect is not affected by the range of the cast itself. I'll go out on a limb and say that as a rule of thumb; it is specifically increasing the -casting- range, and nothing else, but I don't know if there are some fringe cases that might collide with that thinking. 

[amysrevenge]

I'm having trouble coming up with examples of this in the free warscrolls in the app, and haven't found one yet.  I know that there are some spells that have "check for a condition within XX of the caster" followed by "perform an action within YY of the caster" wording that might trigger the BV ability twice.  If anyone can think of a case where the BV ability should trigger twice, please share it.

[RuneBrush]

I would personally use the dictionary definition of "range".  The key is in the wording of "range of the spell" not "range of a spell's effect". 

If we're being honest, the balewind chucks the caster 15 feet in the air and boosts how far they can fling a spell...  What the spell actually does is largely secondary.  However an e-mail to the FAQ address (both from you and your friend ideally) would be the best way to clarify it.